Kiln charging apparatus



March 1957 BECKENBACH 8 KILN CHARGING APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ven for K421. BEcKEA/BAcH Alforn v March 5, 1957 BECKENBACH 2,784,025

KILN CHARGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1950 In venfor (4P1 BfOIEl/BKW y J44 aid;

Alforrzey March 5, 1957 K. BECKENBACH KILN CHARGING APPARATUS 4 Shee ts-Sheet 3 Filed March 25, 1350 jfornex March 5, 1957 K. BECK ENBACH 2,784,025

KILN CHARGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 25, 1950 lnven for (4136 31501 E IVE/46W $44 a fad;

United States PatentO KILN CHARGING APPARATUS Karl Beckenbach, Dusseldorf, Germany Application March 25, 1950, Serial No. 151,373

3 Claims. (Cl. 294-69) The object of the present invention is a method and an apparatus for charging shaft kilns such as, for example, those used for firing lime or cement.

In known charging methods the charge is brought to the charging orifice by means of an elevator .or other conveyor means, and is delivered to the distributing apparatus which is enclosed in the upper part of the kiln, or it is loaded into buckets which are first carried to the charging orifice and then their contents are discharged directly into the kiln. In the former case the distributing apparatus enclosed in the upper part of the furnace shaft is subjected to the direct attack of the fumes which because of their high temperature and chemical composition cause a rapid destruction of this apparatus.

In order to minimize as far as possible such destruction, the distributing installation and any sieves mounted therein must be of robust construction, and this makes them less adapted to fulfil their function of distributing the charge. Another substantial drawback of having the distributing installation mounted in the upper part of the shaft is that it functions properly or reasonably well only for a certain size of the components of the charge, 'while if there is even a slight variation in the size of the pieces, the distribution is not very satisfactory. Adapting the distributing installation ,to fluctuations in the size of the pieces is not possible, since it is extremely diificult or even completely impossible to alter the distribution apparatus when the kiln is working.

In the second case mentioned above, that is, when a bucket is filled at ground level, raised to the charging orifice and delivers its contents directly, that is without the intermediary of a distribution installation, into the kiln, the contents of the bucket are, to a very' great degree, mixed together orare separated.

The applicant has endeavoured to improve the changing of such kilns so that the whole of the charge is fed to the kiln proportioned and distributed as demanded by the firing or'sintering process. In order'to do this the applicant charges the containers or buckets, which so far have been filled at' random with various charge masses,'in layers and in proportions most adapted to the firing process and ensures that the buckets thus filled are emptied into the kiln without the layers and proportions being disturbed.

Thus the invention relates to a method for charging kilns for firing and calcining materials containing lime where the charging with the material is effected from above while the finished product is removed at the lower partof the kiln, whereby the charge .is delivered into containers with a distribution in several superposed .horizontal layers of substantiallythe same diameter adapted to the firing process, said containers discharging into the kiln shaft by sudden opening of the whole container bottom being effected by simultaneous ,removernent of numerous sector-shaped acute angled divisions forming the bottom surface so .that the contentsof the container fall essentially in vertical direction into the kiln shaft, substantially retaining the'stratification ,pres,ent in the C 1- tainer and without appreciable variation of the nature and composition of the layers. In this way it possible for example, in so-called mixed firing, to arrange the firing material and the fuel, for example lime and coal, in separated layers, that is not mixed together, and in the necessary proportions and quantities, and to deliver them to the kiln shaft. The bucket can be filled while it is still on the kiln, or it can be removed to another place, filled there, and carried back to the kiln.

Since the filling of the buckets is independent of the working of the kiln, special conveyor and distributing apparatus can be used to receive the charge from silos or boxes and transfer it to the buckets with the desired layer arrangement. The buckets are hoisted on the kiln in the known manner. The buckets are so constructed that the bottom thereof snaps open, thus discharging the whole of the contents without disturbing the arrangement of the layers. For this purpose the bottom of thelbucket is made up in numerous sector-shaped sections secured by hinges or the like for example, to the periphery of the bucket or to any other part thereof, and held in the middle by a supporting piece. This supporting piece can be so constructed for example that upon sideways or downward movement thereof the sectors are set free or are allowed to drop suddenly and simultaneously. This construction of the bucket enables an abrupt opening of the bottom. The contents of the bucket are thus dischanged that they fall essentially in vertical direction into the kiln without disturbing of the layers.

A feature of the invention consists in charging .a shaft furnace in which the charging material is delivered into the vtop of the furnace and the finished product is removed from the bottom of the furnace in the following way: successively supplying the materials with which the furnace is to be charged .to a charging container having a fiat bottom divided into numerous movable sectors, rotating the container during the supplying of the charging material thereto so that said material is deposited in the container in horizontal layers positioning the container over the charging opening of the furnace and in alignment therewith and suddenly and simultaneously releasing the sectors forming the bottom .of the container and driving them to an open position at a speed greater than the sectors would obtain by the action of gravity thereon, together with the action of a mechanical impulse exerted by the weight of the downward moving container, which impulse is transferred by mechanical connections of the movable sections of the-bottom, whereby a substantially unimpeded path is provided for the material in the container so that it drops into the furnace with substantially no changein the arrangement of the material.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical section through the bucket with the suspension apparatus.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bucket.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the topof :the kiln showing the empty open bucket and the conveyor apparatus for the bucket.

Figure 4 shows the kiln shaft orifice with its closing device.

Figure 5 is a section of the shaftopening th-rough the line A, B of Figure .4.

Figure 6 shows another construction device for the shaft opening.

Figure 7 is a planview of the closing device for the shaft orifice of the kiln.

Figure v8 shows another embodiment .of the opening device for the bottom.

Figures 9 to 14showfurther embodiments of the-con' struotion p f the bottom of the container and of .the closing apparatus for the orifice, namelyz Y I Fi r 9 o 1.0 "S w a erti al ect n d lan. iew

of the closing (1111f) a c n tru t ng er h bottom in Sfighon. i v

Patented Mar. 5, 1957.

In Figures 11 and 12 the bottom is formed by segments which are pivoted in the middle.

In Figures 13 and 14 the segments of the bottom move on radially directed axes.

In the figures the same reference numerals denote the same parts. The outer wall 1 of the bucket is supported on a rotating means 2. The charge material is delivered into the bucket while it is slowly rotated, for example, by means of a pivotal or transportable chute 3 the form of which is adapted to the desired kind of distribution of the firing material, and which can easily be altered as required. A sieving apparatus, for example a rocking sieve, may be mounted before the chute in order to separate the smaller pieces from the larger ones. In this way the smaller particles can be deposited at any given place in the bucket and the large piece can be deposited at otherpoints. The rocking sieve can also be constructed {so that the very fine particle-s which tend to choke the kiln are extracted.

The fuel is delivered from another silo and is arranged in layers across the bucket by means of a chute 4. Here 'also the fine particles which do not favourably affect the burning are extracted. For example, experience has shown that it is preferable that no fuel should be deposited at the edges of the kiln and that less should be fed to the middle than to the other parts. Delivery can be easily and rapidly varied with the type of fuel and the size of the particles, for example, by altering the metal guide plates mounted on the chute.

At the top, for example by means of a closed lid or with the aid of an open supporting member 5, the bucket is suspended from a free pulley 6 and is drawn up to the height of the charge apparatus by means of a hoisting rope passing around said pulley. Thence it is conducted in the known manner (see Figure 3) under a bogie wagon 7 which is provided with two free pulleys and said wagon is brought directly over the kiln shaft. Immediately after the downward travel commences, a double-sided closing plate 8 (see Figure 3 and Figures 4-7) seals the orifice against the outer atmosphere.

The bucket, by means of a ring 9 mounted thereon, rests on an annular platform 9a (see Figure 3). ring 9 can slide on the surface of the bucket between a projection 9b and a bell-crank lever 15. As the free pulley 6 continues to descend, a central rod 10 suspended therefrom also descends.

Sector-shaped divisions 11 forming the bottom of the bucket are kept closed by the fact that they bear on an under support, formed by a cone 10a, of the rod 16. As the cone 10a descends with the rod 10, the sectors open (see Figure 3), and the contents of the bucket fall into the kiln.

Above the throat closing plate 8 a guide tube 12 can be mounted to prevent a false draught when the closing plate 8 is opened. Actually the closing plate opens only when the bucket has entered the pipe and theouter edge of the ring 9 makes a seal with the inner wall of the guide tube 12. The opening of the closing plate 8 can also be effected automatically in that immediately on or after the entry of the ring 9 into the tube 12 an impulse is sent 'out by a contact which is transmitted to means, not shown on the drawing, which open the closing plate. The bucket leaves the guide pipe in a similar way. So the ring 9 in the tube 12 seals otf the kiln from the outer air until 'the closing plate is again closed.

The sealing described pre-supposes that the upper part of the bucket is tightly closed by a cover. The opening of the sectors can be speeded up by mounting a rapidly opening catch, for example a tongs catch 13 which, in the example shown in the drawing, releases the rod 10 suddenly when a plate 6a carried by the pulley 6 approaches the bucket. As the bucketmoves upwards, the weight 'oftlie free ring 9 acts on the bell-crank lever 1S, or,o n any analogous device, which is connected to these'cto'rs The' in a suitable manner. In this way the sector catch is again brought into the closing position. This can also be effected by similarly operating devices such as for example a spring. If the rod 19 and the cone 10a of the bucket are raised still further the bottom is then completely closed. The bottom divided in sectors can also be tightly closed in that the rotating apparatus2 includes a conveniently adapted supporting surface 14 which brings the sector-shaped division into the horizontal position again when the bucket is placed on the rotating device 2. if the kiln is charged without an elevaton'for example from a bridge from the mine, the bucket can be rotatably mounted directly over the kiln, and can be filled in a way similar to that by which it is filled at the kiln bed. By lowering the central rod 10, for example by means of a winch, the bucket can discharge into the kiln shaft. The bucket is then closed by means of the movable ring 9 running round the exterior of the bucket and by raising the central rod 10.. In this case too the distributing installation for filling the bucket can be regulated according to the purpose and the conditions, since it is outside the kiln.

If the kiln to be charged is of large cross section and the bucket is considerably smaller than the diameter of the charging orifice, a tube 16 is preferably mounted around the central rod 10, said tube carrying a cone 17 at its lower end. When the rod 10 is freed said cone 17 also descends and enables the charge to slide outwards, in a compact mass, in any case leaving the middle of the kiln practically free, which in many cases is very desirable.

The two-part closing plate 8 (see Figures 4-7) moves on rollers 18 for example. In order to ensure sealing when the plate is closed, tracks 19 (on which the rollers jroll) are slightly recessed at the points at which the closing position'is almost reached. Therebythe plate fits tightly on the sealing frame 20. To obtain the same result, the sealing frame 20 (see Figure 6) can also be made to incline to the horizontal and the sealing surfaces of the closing plate may also be so inclined. When. moving horizontally on the rollers 18 into the closing position, the sealing surface of the closing plate 8 moves on to the similarly inclined sealing frame of the kiln orifice and ensures perfect sealing everywhere.

In Figure 8 is shown another embodiment of the apparatus for regulating, that is opening and closing the bottom sectors. The bottom of the bucket 21 is closed by the sectors 22 which are pivotally mounted by means of hinges 23. The sectors are pivoted upon hinges, as stated above, for example by means of a rod traversing the container, a chain or rope hoist or the like. .In order to prevent the sectors from swinging 'back while thebucket is being emptied, the sectors are connected to a movable ring 24, which surrounds the bucket, by means of links 25 which are connected at one end to the sectors and at the other end to the ring 24 by pivot pins26, 27 respectively.

This apparatus works as follows:

When the flange 28 of the movable ring 24 beats on the edge of the kiln and the bottom sectors are opened, for example by the pull of the rod or chain (or gear),

the bucket 21 is levered, whilethe ring 24 remains in its position, that is to say that with respect to the bucket it has moved upwards. The ring 24 with the links 25 and the sectors 22 connected. therewith move into the position shown in Figure 8 in dotted lines. In this position the sectors cannot swing inwards so that the emptying of the bucket is unimpeded. When the bucket is again raised the links 25 return to their original position so that the bottom of the bucket can now be closed. Furthermore, with the apparatus .described the opening of the sectors is speeded up by theweight'of the bucket 21 acting on the arms 25. 1

.' .In FigurcsB and 10, the bottom of the bucket is con "stituted by an' outer ring of sectors'2'6 and an "inner rin g of sectors 27. The former are pivoted on the outer edge of the bucket 1 by means of hinges 28 and the latter are pivoted on the guide tube 16 of the bucket by hinges 29. The sectors 27 slightly underlie the segments 26 in order to support them.

The sectors 27 are held in the closed position by a plate 30 fitted on the lower end of the control rod and they open as soon as that rod with the plate 30 is automatically lowered when the bucket is deposited on the edge of the kiln. The sectors 26 then fall under their own weight so that the contents of the bucket can fall freely between the sectors.

The re-closing of the bottom is partly efiected by lowering ring 9 as described above, and partly by raising the control rod 10 and plate 30. According to Figures 11 and 12 the whole of the bottom is formed by sectors 31 which are secured on the lower end of the guide tube 16 and are pivoted on hinges 32. The sectors 31 which are closed when the control rod 10 is hoisted can be fastened in any desired way, for example by means of pivotal catches 32a which for example are actuated by rotatably mounted rods 33 which, in the example shown in the drawing, are rotated by means of projections 34 of a ring 35 which is rotated mechanically or by hand. Projections 36 on the rods 33 on which the arms 34 act can, in order to prevent deformation, be provided with an escape guide, for example a groove 37.

So that the sectors 31 should not interfere with one another as they drop, they are arranged, as can be seen from Figure 12, so that they are above and below one another alternately.

In Figures 13 and 14 the sectors are pivotable about a radial axis 39. They can be actuated by any desired mechanism, for example by means of rods 40 which on the one hand are connected to the pivoting axis of the sectors 38 by a bell-crank lever 41 and on the other hand the heads 42 thereof engage in slots 43 in the control ring which is rotated by hand or by machine.

The method described and the apparatus used to carry out this method can be modified and formed in many ways within the framework of the fundamental idea without overstepping the scope of the invention. Thus in particular, the development, the form, the movable arrangement of the bottom parts as well as the driving gear and the closing means can be varied in a variety of ways. Instead of a transportable bucket which is filled away from the kiln and then conveyed to the top of the kiln for discharging, the bucket can be mounted, preferably rotatably, above the orifice of the kiln, and can be filled as described. This arrangement is particularly preferred if the kiln is charged from the source of supply, for example from mines without employing an elevator, for example from a bridge. Such a bucket mounted above the kiln could also be filled by means of an elevator combined with a sieving and sorting apparatus, and in this case the heavy bucket need not be lifted.

The method described and the apparatus for carrying out this method can also be adapted for firing, sintering or smelting other products where like or similar conditions exist for charging the kiln or furnace.

I claim:

1. A charging apparatus for kilns for firing and calcining substances containing lime wherein the charging with material is effected from above and the removal of the finished product is effected at the lower part of the kiln, said charging apparatus comprising a flatbottomed charge container, the bottom of said container comprising a plurality of sector-shaped members which are pivotally mounted on the periphery of said container, a displaceable ring movably mounted on said container for opening and closing said sector-shaped members, fixed projections on the periphery of said container to limit the upward travel of said ring, projections on said sector- 7 shaped members, said ring being engageable with said projections on said members to close said members when said container is raised, and movable stop means holding at least one of said members in its closed position whereby all of said members are suddenly and simultaneously opened by suddenly releasing said movable stop to fall freely by its own weight.

2. A charging apparatus for kilns for firing and calcining substances containing lime wherein the charging with material is effected from above and the removal of the finished product is ei'lected at the lower part of the kiln, said charging apparatus comprising a flat-bottomed charge container, the bottom of said container comprising a plurality of sector-shaped members forming at least one annular arrangement of sectors in said bottom, the sector members of the annular arrangement adjacent the periphery of said container being pivotally mounted on said periphery, a displaceable ring movably mounted on said container for opening and closing said sector-shaped members, fixed projections on the periphery of said container to limit the upward travel of said ring, projections on said sector-shaped members, said ring being engageable with said projections on said members to close said members when said container is raised, and movable stop means holding at least one of said members in its closed position whereby all of said members are suddenly and simultaneously opened by suddenly releasing said movable stop to fall freely by its own weight.

3. A charging apparatus for kilns for firing and calcining substances containing lime wherein the charging with material is efiected from above while the finished product is removed at the lower part of the kiln, said charging apparatus comprising a flat-bottomed container, the bottom of said container comprising a plurality of sector-shaped members, said sector-shaped members being divided so as to form two concentric rings, a centrally-located tube portion Within said charge container, the sector portions comprising the inner bottom ring being pivotally mounted about said tubular portion, the sector portions comprising the outer bottom ring being pivotally mounted about the lower peripheral edge of said container, a displaceable ring movably mounted on said container for opening and closing said sector-shaped members, fixed projections on the periphery of said container to limit the upward travel of said ring, projections on the outer bottom ring of said sector-shaped members, and movable stop means holding at least one of said members in each of said bottom rings in its closed position whereby all of said members of both of said bottom rings are suddenly and simultaneously opened by suddenly releasing said movable stop to fall freely by its own weight, said means also closing and retaining in a closed position said sector-shaped members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 501,188 Iles July 11, 1893 905,125 Williams Nov. 24, 1908 1,178,037 Steubner Apr. 4, 1916 1,193,750 Bailey Aug. 8, 1916 1,267,005 Slick May 21, 1918 1,276,586 Snyder Aug. 20, 1918 1,333,152 Berry Mar. 9, 1920 1,563,949 Baker Dec. 1,- 1925 1,765,348 Coffey June 17, 1930 2,015,451 Gerlach Sept. 24, 1935 2,310,241 Kelly Feb. 9, 1943 2,338,617 Baker Jan. 4, 1944 2,387,457 McIlwrick Oct. 23, 1945 2,626,826 Morgan Jan. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,757 Germany Jan. 26, 1933 328,258 Great Britain Apr. 22, 1930 

